Tackling yobs

Dominic Grieve, a Tory MP, has called for citizens to be free to tackle yobs without fear of prosecution. He must be a very foolish man, and is asking for a kicking.

Last week I waited at the bus stop after dark alongside a couple of blokes (down on their luck), one with a dog. That one started shouting abuse. "Stop that ya cunt! Do ye think Ah'm fucking stupit?". Others began walking away from the bus stop. Avoiding eye contact, I was glancing sideways to see what the problem might be, and gathered his invective was aimed at his attractive, longhaired black collie cross, who was lying patiently waiting with him for the bus. Then a strange wheezing and hissing noise started, the smell of gas drifted along to me and I realised he was sniffing lighter fluid.

Now, I am no expert, but in my youth witnessed acquaintances getting frighteningly off their face on solvents. They would have imaginary fights, take off their clothes, start talking to the air with no memory of these behaviours afterwards. What was the point if you couldn't even remember how you'd felt, and control of one's actions was destroyed by whatever effect the solvents induced?

Despite concern at his abuse of his blameless dog, I was not so foolish as to confront someone incapable of understanding their actions. If Dominic wants to take on such behaviour, he is more than welcome, but shouldn't be surprised if he ends up in hospital.